Tigers retro: Craig Mitchell reflects on that goal for Worksop Town against Penistone Church

Worksop Town forward Craig Mitchell reminisced about his famous goal against Penistone Church which happened on March 23rd, last year, writes Devon Cash.
Tigers' Craig Mitchell scores against Penistone. Pic: Lewis Pickersgill.Tigers' Craig Mitchell scores against Penistone. Pic: Lewis Pickersgill.
Tigers' Craig Mitchell scores against Penistone. Pic: Lewis Pickersgill.

In front of a league-record crowd of 1,628, Mitchell netted the first of a 2-1 win for the league leaders against a second-placed Penistone.

Coming into this fixture, Worksop had logged a club-record 12th successive win; a streak which would later stretch to 22 games.

“Leading up to the fixture, we had a run of games in quick succession and we were buzzing,” said Mitchell.

“We got the first goal and the atmosphere set up the game brilliantly with 1,600+ there, but the first goal really set us off and it was a brilliant day.

“The ball came up high and I won the flick-on for Macca [Steven McDonnell] around 40 yards away from goal, and he used his pace to get around me however, he took a few too many touches and I tried to run out of his way to get to the side, but I saw that it was on his left and I thought to myself "I could hit this", and with a heavy touch from Steven it sat up nicely for me and I hit it crisply. If you hit it like that then it stays hit! It was brilliant to see it go in.

“Mike Holmes, the club photographer, took a brilliant picture of me which I have at home and it will be a time from which I will remember for the rest of my life.

“To score in front of 1,600+ at that level, it is a brilliant atmosphere and place to play, and all the lads who are with us should want to play at that level and ambience every week.”

The win meant the Tigers created a nine-point gap between the themselves and Penistone, where their momentum proved to be too strong as they then went on to claim the League title, as well as a triumph in the League Cup.

“The days where we won the league and the cup were brilliant for the fans and were what the club deserved.

“That night at the Keepmoat is a moment that the lads and the fans will never forget – there was also more than a thousand in Doncaster on that night.

“These moments are what football is all about and for us to deliver that last season was incredible.”